Best You Can Buy?

 Sometimes the best you can buy is not always what you need.  Through the years I have had many so called hobbies that required buying "stuff" to be able to do it.  The first thing I remember being taught was quilling, not to be confused with quilting.  Walking through Alderson Broaddus College in Philippi, WV I was amazed at one of the artisians quilling.  I watched her for quite a while, she then asked if I would like to try.  Of course, always up to learn something new.  She instructed me most of the afternoon.  When it was time to close up she asked my address to send me the quilling tool I would need and some quilling paper.  She said, don't buy the fancy tool, just a waste of money.  A week later the package arrived and there was the tool she made from a small dowel rod and a sewing needle that she filed the top so it was an open eye.  My point, no pun intended, is I was able to accomplish the same outcome with not the best I could buy.

The same goes for knitting.  Scissors, yarn and knitting needles are all you need.  Those markers I make from a different colored yarn to mark a change in the row.   Machine sewing, yes you need a sewing machine.  I have been sewing since I was about 12, never has my machine cost more than $100.+ tax.  It goes forward, backward, stitch adjustment, winds a bobbin and serves me just fine.  A couple of the best seamstress I knew used an old machine and one even a treadle sewing machine.  My mom and the other Marie Brown Stout.  They made everything with their not the best and far from fancy sewing machines.  

How about in the kitchen?  Yes, I have a nice mixer, blender, toaster, electric griddle, waffle iron, pizzelle iron, microwave, pressure cooker and coffee pot.  Could I do the same without all of them?  Of course.  Do I want to? No.  These I will call my necessities. Hobbies are just that although hobbies really are my necessity in maintaining my crazy wandering mind!  Keep the hands and mind busy.

When getting ready to learn a new hobby try using just the necessities to learn.  If it is something you find really is important then by all means get the equipment that will give you a calm and make it easier.  That is what a hobby or craft is meant to do, relax you and let your mind enjoy what you are doing.  If it doesn't and ends up more frustrating than fun then leave it as a lesson in something you don't want to do.  I will say throwing mud for pottery did just that to me.  I was seriously ready to throw the mud and not on the wheel.  Never have I had something I was trying to learn leave me with such tension.  6 lessons and good bye, let someone that enjoys it make those beautiful clay creations I love to look at and buy 😛  

Best doesn't have to be the most expensive. Google the reviews and decide what suits your needs.  I love google, it has saved me so much time and money reviewing items and even with sewing and knitting patterns.  I can gripe about the internet but seriously it has more +'s than -"s for me.

Tonight was perogie night.  The filling was different than the usual as I added chopped smoked ham, green onions, a mixture of Italian cheeses, cheddar cheese, garlic along with butter, salt and pepper to the potatoes.  The were so tender and fluffy!  The different will be from now on. Just caramelize the onions and garlic in butter to pour over.  Fresh broccoli and that was a meal.